Men’s diseases include not only gender-specific problems such as prostate problems or erectile dysfunction. Liver diseases and certain cancers are also among so-called men’s diseases that affect men significantly more often than women. Cardiovascular diseases are also typical for men. These types of male diseases not only occur particularly frequently, but also at a comparatively young age.
Monks live longer
Men influence the development of these diseases through their lifestyles and behaviors. This is shown by the so-called monastery study: according to this, monks, shielded from external influences, have approximately the same life expectancy as nuns. In the rest of the world, on the other hand, the male representatives have to be satisfied with about five years less.
Heart problems and heart attacks
Cardiovascular disease accounts for almost twice as many days of absence in men (5.8 percent) as in women (3.3 percent). Many men gain weight insidiously after age 30. While the number of overweight men aged 18 to 29 is still below 30 percent, the proportion will rise to 45 percent in the next ten years! By the time they are 59, more than one in two men will clearly have too much on their ribs. Men at this age with the typical life rings are particularly at risk.
While female hormones protect women from heart problems at a younger age, the risk for men increases continuously with every kilo: “In men between 45 and 49, heart attacks are the most common cause of death,” says health economist Martin Kordt.
Men’s diseases: Prostate and lungs often affected
Lung cancer is not only extremely dangerous, it also affects almost twice as many men as women. Between the ages of 50 and 75, it is the leading cause of death in the stronger sex. Men not only smoke more often than women, but also go to the doctor significantly less often. Many men also take prostate and colon cancer screening lightly. Only one in four regularly have the examinations recommended for colorectal cancer and prostate cancer.
“Most men underutilize preventive care. They only go to the doctor when serious symptoms appear,” reports psychologist Frank Meiners. Serious consequence: many cancers are detected too late. Prostate problems are also a topic that men don’t like to talk about – although the number of new cases per year is estimated at more than 45,000.
Men’s diseases: Alcohol and accidents
When faced with stress and problems, many men turn to cigarettes, but also to alcohol. Alarmingly, between the ages of 40 and 45, alcoholic liver disease is the leading cause of death. In many cases, men are also involved in accidents – at work, on the road and in their leisure time. Overall, non-specific injuries cause almost twice as many days of absence in men as in women.
In addition, there are dislocations such as of the ankle or knee joint (40 and 55 percent more sick days, respectively) and fractures of the hands, feet and in the shoulder area (up to 70 percent more).
Erectile dysfunction in men
They are often warning signals of the body and the psyche: as well as heavy tobacco consumption and obesity, stress or depression can also be considered as causes. Conversely, a potency disorder can be the first indication of a previously undetected disease, such as diabetes, cancer or coronary heart disease.
Men with erectile dysfunction also find themselves in a vicious circle: fear of their own failure often exacerbates the problem, the symptoms continue to increase – and with them, in turn, the insecurity. Here, too, many men shy away from going to the doctor: on average, they wait around 1.5 years before going to the doctor. This can have consequences, especially if the disorder is an expression of another serious illness.
